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I wish to talk about a topic that is dear to me. I do not believe in Esoteric intelligence. I believe that knowledge informs intelligence & this can be attained by all in the right circumstances. I also believe there are bad teachers, redundant policies & social precariousness.
For the most part of my early life, I was made to believe, subtly & explicitly, that I wasn& #39;t good enough for maths. That while I could perform well in social subjects, sciences were not for me. I lived in a reality that had been designed for me - socially.
It all culminated in a 12% mark when I was joining form 3 & it was sad to hear the teacher say, "I won& #39;t even cane you. This is hopeless". I don& #39;t think he meant to be mean, but I was hurt nonetheless, and for the next 1 month, I would commit myself to the revision of past papers
I would spend the time I normally spent PE to go through math exams & practice. And when the first CAT was given, I scored 30/30. Everybody said I cheated. I set out to prove them wrong. A maths teacher noticed my new fascination. Gave me even more past papers. Engaged me more.
And I stand here today, saying that the Bunyore Girls maths contests were my fodder; That I - a kid who had never scored above 30% in maths before form 3 - had maths as his highest score in the university entrance exam. It was a solid A; So was Business; So was English.
Men are not born intelligent. Intelligence is primed. I hear parents sometimes tell their kids, "you are not good at maths. Because I was not too". I heard it from my mother. And I know it comes from a place of love, but you can& #39;t write your child off.
Sometimes, you come across certain "intelligent" people online, & you are awestruck by their eloquence. And if you are not careful, you will start feeling inadequate. But it& #39;s not true. You are just as intelligent. Maybe less knowledgeable, but just as intelligent. Read more.
Now some teachers are good. They engage your children productively, identify their strengths, & leverage that to foster excellence. Some teachers are bad. They preach exceptionalism. They& #39;re indolent & angry. Make it a point to know the teacher. Bad teachers make bad citizens.
